NEW BLOOD: Episode Two: The Chameleon Brief
by KH Blaze
Summary: Shalimar stumbles upon another powerful feral, whichs leads to an environmental disaster and more trouble then she or the other members of Mutant X bargained for!
1. Scene One

DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Mutant X" characters and settings are property of Tribune and Marvel Entertainment. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.  
  
Note: I set this story between season one and (what will become) an alternate season two.  
  
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #  
  
On the night of a new moon, the ocean seems blacker than black. Even more so when you're sneaking around an unmanned oilrig that's offshore by about twenty miles, like Shalimar was. The only light she had came from the flame given life by Ally's mutant abilities. Ally was following behind Shalimar, who was choosing to use her feral senses to guide her.  
  
"What exactly are we doing here?" Ally asked her in a hushed voice.  
  
"I told you," Shalimar whispered back. "It's a lead on Ashlocke."  
  
"Yeah, I got that. But why exactly are we here, alone, in the dark, when Ashlocke could be involved?"  
  
"Hey, you're the one who insisted on tagging along." Shalimar reminded the thermal. "If you don't want to be here, you could always go back to the Double Helix and wait."  
  
"You're right, I did want to tag along." Ally admitted. "So what I should be asking is why you were going to go after Ashlocke alone?"  
  
"I can take care of myself." Was all Shalimar said.  
  
Ally stopped in her tracks. "Shal,"  
  
Shalimar turned and looked at her impatiently.  
  
"I understand." Ally told her.  
  
"Understand what?" Shalimar asked exasperated.  
  
"What you're going through. What he does to you. How he creeps underneath your skin and won't go away. He's been haunting me too. I haven't even told Brennan about it."  
  
Shalimar turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Yes you do!" Ally snapped. "And you can make him stop. You can fight it. You just have to---"  
  
"Shh!" Shalimar hissed, raising her hand to emphasize.  
  
She stood very still and Ally knew the feral'd heard something.  
  
After a moment, Ally heard it too: running feet.  
  
From around the corner appeared five men. They skid to a halt right in front of Ally and Shalimar, caught off guard. When they saw Ally's flaming palm, they gaped.  
  
"What's the rush, boys?" Shalimar asked as she made her eyes glow yellow.  
  
The man closest to Shalimar was built like an ox and held a duffel bag, which he swung at her in reaction to her eyes.  
  
A tussle began.  
  
Shalimar ducked under the swing and grabbed the arm with both hands. She twisted it behind his back and heaved him into a wall of crates. Ducking low again and extending her leg, Shalimar pivoted sharply and tripped a second man who carried a flashlight. Even in the dark, Shalimar could see why he'd been the one behind the light. An ugly scar ran diagonally across the whole of his face.  
  
As he fell, the flashlight went flying and rolled into the shuffling feet of Ally and two more of the strangers. As Ox came back for more, Shalimar's attention left Ally.   
  
But the firebug was doing well enough. Using her still flaming hand, she fended off a guy with a piggy face, while backing away from the advances of another man with hair dyed midnight blue. Scarface's flashlight was kicked around through this, and when it came to a stop, the light landed on a slate loaded with full, highly flammable oil drums. This caught Ally's eye and she quickly snuffed out her only other light without thinking.  
  
Her eyes had widened slightly. "Oops...maybe my tagging along was a bad idea."  
  
Ally realized the men were trying to corner her, so she moved quickly. A front handspring, step out, round off. Back handspring, step out, round off.  
  
Ally was directly behind Blue and Porky now, but she kept in motion and snapkicked Porky into Blue and they both fell to the ground under Porky's weight. Ally stepped back and turned to check on Shalimar---and bumped into someone. She spun around and fell into a defensive stance, but no one was behind her. Then back in the other direction she heard running footsteps and twirled back, swinging, but the fifth man, undoubtedly the shortest one out of the five, avoided her assault with ease and just kept on running right past her.  
  
Shalimar was ready to go at it again with Ox and Scarface, when they stumbled to their feet and chased after Tiny. Ally could only watch with amazement as Blue and Porky followed.  
  
Shalimar jogged up next to Ally, watching them all go and obviously frustrated that she didn't get to finish the fight.  
  
"What was that?" She asked.  
  
"I don't know but those weren't Asklocke's Links." Ally noted. "They weren't even New Mutants."  
  
Shalimar snorted. "Yeah no kidding. Did you see the way they looked at us?"  
  
"I happened to notice, yeah. Let's get out of here, huh? Ashlocke hasn't been anywhere near here."  
  
Shalimar reluctantly nodded.  
  
They returned to the Helix and took off for Sanctuary.  
  
Ally, you there? Brennan's voice filled the jet.  
  
Ally smiled a little to herself every time she heard him. "Of course, what's up? Miss me already?"  
  
You and Shal took off. Is everything all right?  
  
"Yeah, we're fine. We're on our way home now."  
  
What happened?  
  
"Nothing." Shalimar barked. "We just..." Shalimar trailed off and slowly turned in her seat. Her eyes studied the back of the jet.  
  
You just what?  
  
Ally's forehead creased. "Shal?"  
  
"Someone else is in here."  
  
Ally became alarmed. "What? Where?"  
  
Just as Ally turned to follow Shalimar's gaze, a man with wild dark hair and almost black eyes appeared out of thin air. He was injured and almost immediately collapsed to the floor, passing out. 


	2. Scene Two

Ally jumped from her seat. "Oh my God!" She rushed over to check on him.  
  
"Guess there was at least one New Mutant afterall." Shalimar droned.  
  
Girls? Came Brennan's voice again. What's going on?  
  
"We picked up another passenger." Shalimar explained.  
  
"He's injured..." Ally reported. "And I think he's sick. It doesn't look good."  
  
# # # # #  
  
Adam had joined Brennan and overheard the last of the conversation.  
  
"Bring him back so I can take a look at him." He ordered.  
  
# # # # #  
  
Emma joined Adam as he and Ally looked at the injured mutant's file. He looked sullen in his photo, but Emma thought his dark features remained charming.  
  
"Anthony Chaplin," Adam read aloud. "A reptilian feral. His greater talent is the chameleon like camouflage you and Shalimar witnessed."  
  
Ally was standing over the unconscious feral, looking down on him and remembering how her first day in Sanctuary had been so similar.  
  
"What's wrong with him?"  
  
"Aside from the beating he took, it looks like he's been poisoned." Adam explained.  
  
Emma elaborated. "I tested a sample of his blood--which is cold by the way--it seems to have been a gradual build up of toxins, most likely due to environmental damage."  
  
"You mean like oil spills?" Ally guessed. "Or illegal dumping?"  
  
"That would be my theory." Adam agreed.  
  
"Is he going to be okay?"  
  
"It'll take some time for his more serious injuries to heal and for the toxins to exit his system. But he is a feral and I've done what I can to speed up the process. He'll pull through."  
  
Relief flooded Ally's face and Adam smiled kindly at her. "Lucky for him you and Shalimar were there."  
  
"What were you two doing there anyway?" Emma questioned.  
  
Ally shrugged. "You'll have to ask Shalimar that."  
  
# # # # #  
  
Adam and Jesse did just that.  
  
"The oil company's been getting threats, I thought it sounded like Ashlocke, so I followed up on it." Shalimar answered.  
  
"Without telling anyone?" Jesse asked angrily.  
  
Her reply was calm and simple. "I told Ally."  
  
"No, Jesse's right. You two shouldn't have gone after Ashlocke on your own." Adam chided.  
  
"But I was wrong, it wasn't Ashlocke. They weren't even New Mutants."  
  
"You could have gotten hurt or worse!" Jesse argued.  
  
"I'm fine!" Shalimar cried. "Anyway, you said it was lucky for Anthony that we were there. Why don't we worry about why he was there and how he got beaten up like he did?"  
  
Adam relented. "What's this oil company's name?"  
  
Shalimar didn't know, but, "It's a subsidiary company to X.I.I., Xenos Industrial Incorporated."  
  
Before Adam could speak, Emma came bustling in. "Adam, Anthony's waking up." She announced.  
  
"Alright, thank you Emma. Jesse, I want you to find out as much as you can about X.I.I. Emma why don't you give him a hand? Shalimar, come with me. Anthony came to you and Ally; I want you both there while I talk to him. He might open up more."  
  
# # # # #  
  
When Adam and Shalimar entered the Med Lab they saw Ally and Brennan perched on the far counter together. Anthony was just opening his eyes.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Ally asked him.  
  
Anthony squinted and his voice was raspy. "Cold...it's really bright in here..."  
  
"I always feel a chill in here too." Ally commented lightly. "Let me dim the lights for you." She reached over Brennan for a wall panel and the room got a little darker.  
  
"Thanks..." Anthony looked around. "Where am I anyway?"  
  
"It's our Sanctuary." Brennan said as if reciting a speech.  
  
"You stowed away in our jet." Shalimar spoke up. "What were you even doing out on that rig in the first place?"  
  
Slowly Anthony sat up to look at her. "Getting proof." He gave her a weak but sly smile and Shalimar wondered what for.  
  
"Proof of what?" Adam asked, the smile apparently going unnoticed.  
  
"Pollution. My beach's become a toxic swamp in a matter of weeks."  
  
"What makes you think the rig had anything to do with it?" Brennan asked.  
  
"The tide." Anthony said matter-of-factly. "It's the only place it could have come from."  
  
"So what happened tonight?" This question came from Ally.  
  
"I brought a video camera, you know, to catch them in the act and send it to the Coast Guard. Those guys, the ones you bumped into, they're the creeps who are doing it, and they caught me when I tried to get out. I was able to get far enough away to camouflage myself, but being injured as well as sick made it impossible to swim out of there."  
  
"Good thing Ally and Shalimar showed up when they did." Brennan said, smiling at Ally, who smiled adoringly in return.  
  
Again, Anthony smiled slyly at Shalimar. "You saved my life."  
  
Shalimar frowned and glanced at the others, hoping they'd seen this weirdness too, but they all seemed oblivious.  
  
"Did you get the tape?" She asked next.  
  
"I managed to hide it. It's still on the rig as far as I know."  
  
"We'll help you get that tape to the proper authorities. But it's no good if we don't find out who that waste belongs to."  
  
"How about the oil company?" Ally suggested. "Some of the chemicals Emma found in Anthony's blood sample are by-products of oil refining."  
  
"It's Tony." The reptilian feral blurted.  
  
Everyone looked at him and he shrugged.  
  
"Less formal."  
  
Ignoring the interruption, Shalimar spoke up. "Some isn't all. We're going to need more if we're really going to nail an oil company. Even then, there might only be a fine."  
  
"Pocket change for a company like that." Brennan commented.  
  
"So let's make sure we get all the evidence we need for a prison time ruling." Adam suggested.  
  
"Well we may have your start here." Jesse announced as he and Emma entered. "It seems Xenos Industrial has been accused previously of illegal dumping by radical environmentalist groups."  
  
"But how often are the radicals taken seriously?" Emma asked rhetorically.  
  
"Oh they do..." Brennan was sure.  
  
"Yeah, after they start making threats..." Ally finished. "And bombs."  
  
"Let's try to end this before any radicals get involved." Adam said.  
  
"Before anymore beaches get harmed." Tony added. 


	3. Scene Three

Assignments had been handed out. Jesse was looking for more information on X.I.I., while Emma investigated the corporation's namesake, David Xenos. Shalimar and Tony were helping Adam recreate likenesses of the five crooks from the oilrig, to use in an identity search.  
  
"Like this?" Adam was asking Shalimar as he made adjustments to Ox's image.  
  
"His jaw was more square...I remember because I thought how I'd like to break it." Shalimar mused.  
  
Adam couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he made the changes.  
  
Tony leaned, uncomfortably close, over Shalimar's shoulder to get a better view. "And his nose was bigger. Bulbous really."  
  
Again Adam made adjustments. "How's this?"  
  
Shalimar tried to subtly lean away from Tony. "That's him." She proclaimed as she rose to her feet.  
  
Adam called up the other four images so all five faces were on the screen. "Now using these we can do a data search and find out exactly who they are."  
  
"You don't need me for that, do you?" Shalimar prodded, trying to escape Tony's leering.  
  
"Well if you'd like to show Tony around...?"  
  
Tony smirked. "You could show me your room!" He winked at her and Shalimar cringed.  
  
Ally happened to notice this as she and Brennan walked in and decided to bail her poor friend out. "We can take him."  
  
"Yeah it's not like there's anything better the two of us could be doing together." Brennan drawled sarcastically.  
  
Ally elbowed him in the gut for his troubles and waved Tony over. "C'mon."  
  
"Actually I'm just fine here---" Tony started to say, but Ally marched over and took him by the arm.  
  
When she touched him, Tony's eyes closed for a brief moment and unnoticed a content smile crossed his face. After that, Tony complied. "Yeah...alright..."  
  
# # # # #  
  
"So...are you hungry?" Ally offered, looking at Tony curiously. "I could make you something."  
  
Tony was looking sort of spaced out. Almost like he was looking into the sun or something. After a pause, Tony nodded, so Ally decided to try to ignore his behavior. He was still recovering afterall.  
  
"Okay then...uh, Brennan, why don't you show him to the fountain while I fix something for all three of us?"  
  
Brennan had noticed the odd behavior too, frowning as he watched. "Yeah sure. C'mon man, I think you'll like this."  
  
The elementals turned in different directions both expecting Tony to follow Brennan. After a second of just standing there, Tony followed Ally.  
  
Brennan didn't realize right away that Tony wasn't with him. By the time he turned around, Tony was right behind Ally. He grabbed her by the shoulders...and sniffed her?  
  
"Hey!" Ally cried and slapped him away.  
  
Brennan charged over. "What's your problem man?!"  
  
Tony, apparently out of his trance, looked at them both apologetically. "I...it's just--you're so warm..."  
  
Ally blinked. "Huh?"  
  
"The cold makes me weak, it's my reptilian DNA. When I'm near you though...it's like I can breathe in the sunlight. I feel stronger than I have in days. Energized."  
  
Brennan wasn't quite sure he believed it, but he had to say. "She has that effect sometimes."  
  
Ally gave him playful eye daggers.  
  
Tony appeared genuinely upset. "I'm sorry..."  
  
"No...hey, it's all right. With my mutation and yours...it was bound to happen really. But, maybe we should take you to a room to rest. Then you won't need me to feel better."  
  
"We'll turn up the thermostat in there for you." Brennan offered lamely.  
  
Tony looked totally embarrassed. "Yeah...thanks. That's probably better..." He turned and started to walk away.  
  
Out of earshot, Brennan and Ally could only start to snicker at the incident.  
  
# # # # #  
  
Later on, with Tony roomed and the pair alone again, they were still marveling.  
  
Ally stated the obvious. "That was really weird."  
  
"Yeah I didn't know what to think." Brennan agreed.  
  
"Oh right. I know exactly what you were thinking! You were acting the jealous protective boyfriend!"  
  
"I was not!" Brennan countered. "It looked like he was attacking you!"  
  
Ally laughed at him and Brennan relented.  
  
"Well all right, maybe there was a brief--a VERY brief second of jealousy, but don't tell me you weren't thinking he was coming on to you!"  
  
"No!" Ally denied.  
  
"Aww, c'mon!"  
  
"No really! He totally had a thing for Shal. He just wants me for my---" Ally giggled before the words reached her lips. "Heat..." She started to laugh harder.  
  
But Brennan wasn't buying it.  
  
"Well all right, maybe it's some instinctual thing." She reasoned. "Like with other reptiles. Like newborn alligators attaching themselves to the first live thing they see."  
  
Brennan's eyebrows raised at the suggestion. "You mean like imprinting? You're saying he wants you and Shal to be his "mommies"?!"  
  
Ally burst into fresh laughter and slapped Brennan on the arm for making her do it. "I'm trying to be serious! We're the ones who rescued him. Maybe he can't help but want to be around us."  
  
It was becoming infectious; Brennan was having trouble getting a coherent sentence out. "Yeah or maybe he just wants to "get with" Shal and suck the heat right off you!"  
  
At this point, they were laughing so hard they hadn't noticed Shalimar appear.  
  
"Glad you two are enjoying yourselves."  
  
Ally and Brennan froze like two guilty teenagers. They weren't sure how much Shalimar had heard.  
  
"Maybe you're ready to do some actual work?" Shalimar went on.  
  
Ally cleared her throat and stood a little straighter. "Did--uh--did you find out anything about the jerks we ran into last night?"  
  
As Shalimar glared at both of them, they were both sure she'd heard enough. They prepared for the worst, but Shalimar continued.  
  
"Yeah, come take a look."  
  
# # # # #  
  
"Where's our friend Tony?" Adam inquired when he noticed the absence in the appearing group.  
  
"Resting." Ally answered. "He's...not quite feeling like himself yet."  
  
She and Brennan were both willing themselves not to laugh anymore.  
  
Instead Brennan asked. "So what did you find out about Tony's attackers?"  
  
Jesse addressed the question. "Well on the surface they don't seem like anything interesting, but dig a little..." Jesse entered a few commands and displayed five sets of bank records. "And we find dirt."  
  
Brennan seemed impressed. "Pay dirt, you mean."  
  
Ally gaped a little. "Those are a lot of zeros."  
  
Brennan made the connection. "So they're being paid the big bucks to dump the toxic waste that's ending up in Tony's territory."  
  
"And who knows where else." Emma thought aloud.  
  
"Is there a link between these guys and the oil company?"  
  
Ally asked Emma.  
  
"No. But there is one to the CEO. David Xenos is the one signing the checks...from his corporate accounts."  
  
"Pretty gusty of him to be dumping that stuff from his own oil rig." Shalimar muttered.  
  
"Why don't we give him something to be nervous about?" Brennan suggested.  
  
"You've got something in mind?" Adam pried.  
  
Brennan grinned. 


	4. Scene Four

Ally sat and pouted playfully. "This is the first time I've seen you in a suit and it isn't even for me."  
  
Brennan, dressed from head to toe in black was making a final inspection in front of his closet mirror.  
  
He turned to face Ally, sitting on the end of his bed. "You don't think this is the only suit I own, do you? Anyway, you're not the only disappointed one. I had hoped we'd both be dressing up."  
  
Ally was intrigued. "What did you have in mind?"  
  
Brennan gave her a sly look. "Show me yours, I'll show you mine."  
  
Ally stood and sauntered over to him. "Name the time and place and I'll show you everything I've got."  
  
Images filled Brennan's head. "Huh." Was all he spoke, but in his mind...  
  
'Forget the fancy clothes, I wanna see what you've got, now!'  
  
He leaned in as she folded into his arms and their lips met fleetingly. The kiss grew. Their passion grew. Their lips met again and again. Ally started to loosen Brennan's tie---  
  
Emma came through the door without knocking.  
  
She too was dressed up, wearing a smart dress suit and a pair of eyeglasses.  
  
"Brennan are you almost---" She stopped as she saw Ally and Brennan breaking away. "Oh..."  
  
They stared at her partly embarrassed and partly indignant.  
  
"I didn't know Ally was helping you...I really need to learn to knock first."  
  
"It's all right." Brennan lied. "You and Jess are ready?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay." He looked back at Ally and murmured his apology, kissing her once more.  
  
"To be continued." She chanted back, straightening his tie and following him and Emma out the door.  
  
# # # # #  
  
Shalimar frowned. "So run this plan of yours by us again."  
  
Brennan sighed and started from the top. "I'm going to get us a way in by portraying a wealthy jet owner, looking for a new fuel supplier. While I get in Xenos' good graces, Emma, posing as my personal assistant, will get Jess his way in."  
  
Jesse took over. "I checked city records for blue prints of the oil company's refinery, but there's nothing current. We need to know how to get in if we're going to get our evidence. So I'm going to find the right blueprints at Xenos' office."  
  
"We'll keep an eye on you from here." Adam contributed.  
  
"I'll see what I can find out about Mr. Xenos' personal interests," Ally chimed in. "They might give you common ground."  
  
Brennan smiled at her initiative. "Good thinking. I'll be listening for you."  
  
"Be careful." Shalimar warned. "All of you."  
  
# # # # #  
  
It should have been no surprise to Brennan that even the waiting area outside Xenos' office looked like it cost a pretty penny. Rare paintings filled the walls, exquisite sculptures and leather sofas filled the floor. After a glance, Brennan was even sure that the letterhead the secretary used had gold leafing, with real gold! He and Emma weren't kept waiting here long.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Reed?"  
  
Brennan looked over at the secretary.  
  
"Mr. Xenos will see you now."  
  
Brennan gave her a charming smile. "Wonderful. Annie," He glanced at Emma. "why don't you wait here?"  
  
Emma nodded curtly, trying very hard not to crack a smile. "Of course...sir."  
  
The secretary ushered Brennan into the office, which was (not surprisingly) even more lavish than the room before. The furniture was made of rich wood and leather, gold and platinum lined everything. Not to mention David Xenos himself: Armani suit, silk tie, diamond and platinum cufflinks, italian leather shoes. This guy was all about the luxuries in life.  
  
Oh, Brennan was going to have fun with this one!  
  
Brennan offered the man his hand. "Mr. Xenos---"  
  
"Oh please," He scoffed. "if I can call you Lyle, you can call me David." David took Brennan's hand in a firm grip, then gestured towards one of the leather chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"Have a seat. Would you care for a cigar?"  
  
Brennan sat down. "I'd love one, thank you."  
  
After helping himself, David passed Brennan a silver tray with the cigar, lighter and cutter.  
  
"So I'm told you've got two or three of your own private jets." David started after several drags.  
  
"I enjoy flying." Brennan replied nonchalantly.  
  
David grinned. "And why not? Plenty of places to go and there's no better way to get there! Though, you may think that opinion biased on my part!"  
  
They both chuckled.  
  
"Tell me, Lyle." David went on. "What else do you enjoy?"  
  
Hey LYLE, Came Ally's sweet, yet mocking, voice in his ear. You might be interested to know that David frequents the racetrack.  
  
Brennan took a drag as he listened, pretending to consider the question. "Well, David, I'm a bit of a gambling man."  
  
David seemed interested. "Ever played the horses?"  
  
Using Ally's words to his advantage, he replied. "Quite frequently actually."  
  
# # # # #  
  
Out in the other room, Emma was ready to move.  
  
She spoke to the secretary. "Uhm, excuse me, could you tell me where the ladies' is?"  
  
The secretary pointed to the door leading out into the hallway. "Down the hall to the left of the elevator." She replied.  
  
Emma smiled sweetly. "Thank you."  
  
The girl smiled back and returned to her typing.  
  
Emma headed right for the elevator, but instead of turning left into the washroom she got into the elevator. She spotted a posting earlier that said company records was on floor three so she punched three and commlinked Jesse to be ready there.  
  
Everything went smoothly until Emma started down the long hallway on the third floor.  
  
"Excuse me, miss," Came a voice behind her. "Can I help you?"  
  
Slowly, Emma turned around to face the stranger. "I'm looking for the records office that would have company blueprints on file." She informed him as calmly as she could.  
  
He nodded behind Emma. "Fourth door on your left. But you'll need authorized personnel to get in, that door requires a passcard."  
  
Emma smiled. "Thank you. Do you think you could take me to someone who can help with that?"  
  
"Sure." He led the way back to the elevator, but Emma didn't board with him. Instead she hit him with a psi-blast to make him forget the conversation and he left for floors unknown.  
  
"Jesse." She called into the commlink.  
  
He appeared from the stairwell access and Emma directed him to the correct door.  
  
"Hurry. I'll wait out here to keep anyone from finding you."  
  
Jesse nodded and phased into the room.  
  
# # # # #  
  
Meanwhile, Brennan seemed to be having the time of his life. He and Xenos were sharing a laugh.  
  
"Lyle, I'd love to do business with you, and I think you'll find our quality for the price unmeasureable."  
  
Brennan's eyebrows twitched. "I've heard a lot about your oil company. It seems you're preferred two to one. How can you afford to sell so low and stay in business?"  
  
David remained casual. "I have an amazing staff of financial advisors, not only do they know how to cut all my costs but they work for nothing!" He laughed at his own joke.  
  
Brennan, see if he'll give you a sample of fuel. Came Adam's voice. We could compare it to Tony's blood sample.  
  
"Just the same, I was hoping for a taste. A small sample I can test out before I make a buy."  
  
For a moment it seemed David thought Brennan was joking. "Oh I'm sorry if I haven't convinced you enough, but I'm afraid I can't agree to that. Legal reasons, you understand."  
  
Brennan shrugged. "Just thought I'd ask."  
  
"Shall we talk some specifics, then?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
# # # # #  
  
How's it going Jess? Adam asked.  
  
Jesse smiled. "I've got blueprints, security systems, even schedules for shift changes."  
  
All right, download it to Sanctuary and get out of there. Emma, Brennan's almost done with Xenos. Get back there.  
  
"On my way." Emma assured.  
  
# # # # #  
  
Just as Emma made it back to the waiting room, Brennan and Xenos emerged from his office. Brennan exchanged looks with her to be sure everything had gone well.  
  
"Have your secretary send my assistant Annie here the paperwork next week. I have to let some other gentlemen down easy."  
  
Xenos laughed heartily and shook Brennan's hand again. "Lyle, it's been a pleasure. We should play the horses sometime."  
  
"Absolutely. I'll have Annie work out the details."  
  
Emma smiled politely at Xenos.  
  
"David, thank you again. I'll see you soon." And just as he was thinking it, he heard Ally over the commlink mutter,  
  
Yeah...behind bars. 


	5. Scene Five

As they waited for Brennan, Emma and Jesse to return, Shalimar made plans for a mission of her own. She wanted to go after the tape Tony had ditched the night before.  
  
"It's not wise to go back there in broad daylight." Adam warned.  
  
Ally agreed. "What if those creeps from last night are there? You'd be in trouble for sure."  
  
"The longer we leave that tape there, the greater the chance someone else will find it." Shalimar argued. "I have to risk it."  
  
"Risk what?" Tony asked as he reappeared.  
  
Ally thought he looked refreshed. He'd changed into the clothes Ally'd left him.  
  
She smiled at him in greeting. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"A helluva lot better, thanks." He replied and Ally was sure there was a hidden meaning in his gratitude.  
  
Tony looked at Shalimar and grinned artfully. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?"  
  
"Back to the rig." She replied tiredly. "To get your tape."  
  
"And you're going with her." Adam said to Tony suddenly.  
  
In unison, Shalimar and Tony blurted, "What?", though Shalimar sounded more appalled than surprised.  
  
"Think you're strong enough now to cope with it?" Adam asked, unaffected by Shalimar's tone.  
  
"Yeah of course." Tony said, realizing Adam was serious.  
  
"Adam, what the hell are you thinking? He can't come with me!" Shalimar growled.  
  
"Why not?" Adam asked, amused. "He knows where the tape is and you're both powerful ferals. Between the two of you, this mission shouldn't be difficult at all."  
  
"You'd certainly make us feel better if there was someone there watching your back." Ally surmised. "What's the matter Shal? You're not being territorial, are you?"  
  
Shalimar scowled at the firebug. "This has nothing to do with territory and you know it!"  
  
"Good." Adam cut in. "Now that's settled, you can take the Helix."  
  
Shalimar turned on her heel, fuming, with Tony following pleasantly behind.  
  
# # # # #  
  
The ride in the Double Helix had become uncomfortably silent.   
  
Tony couldn't stand it any longer. "You know, I never properly thanked you for saving my life."  
  
Shalimar rolled her eyes. "I didn't save your life. It was just a coincidence that Ally and I were there."  
  
Tony's gaze narrowed. "Oh? Is that all?"  
  
"Yes!" Shalimar hissed, turning to glare at him.  
  
"Whoa, easy there pussy cat! Why are you being so hostile?"  
  
Fed up, Shalimar educated him. "Look, I don't appreciate the way you act towards me, all right? I'm not interested."  
  
"Not interested." Tony echoed. "Well, I'm glad to hear it."  
  
Shalimar blinked. "What?"  
  
"Listen, Shalimar..." Tony began. "I like you, but obviously you've confused my flirting for something else."  
  
"Are you trying to tell me you weren't hitting on me?" She asked, stupefied.  
  
Tony looked apologetic. "I'm sorry if I offended you, but that's all it was. I assumed you were just playing along with my flirting. It's...what I do. I'd have been flirting with Ally too, if it wasn't so obvious that she and Brennan were serious."  
  
Shalimar was immobilized by his audacity. "Unbelievable."  
  
"Shalimar---"  
  
"Don't!" She stammered. "Just...don't talk to me."  
  
The remainder of the journey reverted to the uncomfortable silence.  
  
Once they reached the rig and landed, Shalimar lead the way back to the spot where she and Ally had encountered the five goons.  
  
"So think back," Shalimar spoke in a clipped tone. "Where were you before you spotted us?"  
  
"If I embarrassed you---"  
  
"Can we just get the tape please?" Shalimar snapped. "Or don't you want to nail the guys who poisoned you?"  
  
Aware that he wasn't going to get through to Shalimar anytime soon, Tony looked around, getting his barrings.  
  
"It's different in the light but...I think I came out from over there." He pointed.  
  
From there they retraced his steps and eventually the trail ended by the rig's drill.  
  
Scaling the mass of metal a few feet, Tony jumped back down with camera in hand.  
  
"Well, well..." Came a grizzly voice behind the ferals. "Look who's come for a rematch."  
  
Shalimar and Tony turned around and found Ox and Scarface standing there.  
  
"We were hoping we'd run into you freaks again." Ox went on.  
  
"Where's your little red-headed friend?" Scarface sneered.  
  
"She sends her regards." Tony bit-off.  
  
Scar face shook his head. "Too bad. Guess we'll have to hang on to the two of you until she shows."  
  
"I don't think so." Shalimar growled.  
  
Both sets of feral eyes glowed yellow and in sync they leapt forward, as Ox and Scarface tried to draw guns on them.  
  
Shalimar slapped Ox's away while Tony kicked Scarface's gun out of his grasp. The gun went off but hit nothing.  
  
Ox swung at Shalimar with his other fist. Shalimar ducked and swept her leg around to trip him but Ox was expecting it and leapt over it, kicking out and catching her under the chin.  
  
Tony and Scarface were battling it out with fists, but it was quickly obvious that Tony was the better boxer. Scarface's eyes started darting around in search of his gun.  
  
Flipping back to her feet, Shalimar was getting angry and the claws were out. She started swinging at him with her open hands, forcing him to back off unless he wanted to be sliced and diced.  
  
Spotting his gun, Scarface dove for it, but Tony realized and kicked the gun out of his reach, slamming one foot down on Scarface's reaching hand and kicking him the side of the head with the other.  
  
Feigning like she was going to shift right, Shalimar instead flipped right over Ox's head and upon gaining back her footing, snapped her leg back, striking Ox in the small of his back, sending him stumbling.  
  
All of a sudden there was shouting and Shalimar knew Blue, Porky, Tiny and a few new friends had come to investigate the disturbance.  
  
"Time to go!" Tony called; double checking to be sure the camera was still on his person.  
  
He and Shalimar bolted, running for the maze of crates and barrels they'd landed the cloaked Helix in.  
  
The mob took pursuit and the ferals' headstart was only long enough for Tony to do one thing: hide them both.  
  
As they turned a sharp corner, Tony propelled Shalimar against a wall of barrels and hugged up against her.  
  
"Wh---"  
  
"Shh!" Tony hushed.  
  
For a moment, Shalimar thought the barrels were swallowing her up. But momentarily she could once again see Tony and peer over his shoulder.  
  
'He must be using his camouflage.' She realized.  
  
The men ran right by them without a second glance.  
  
"We'll never get to the Helix through that mob." Shalimar whispered.  
  
"Here, take the camera." Tony shoved it into her hands. "I'll lead them all away from you, just be waiting for me back at shore." He relaxed out of camouflage and started to leave.  
  
"Tony what are you---?"  
  
"Just be there!" Tony continued. "I'll come to you!" He took off running and a moment later, Shalimar could hear that the mob had spotted him. She risked a look and saw Tony leading them all away, leaving a clear path to the stealth jet. Shalimar took off in a sprint.  
  
As she reached the opening hatch she heard gunshots and froze dead in her tracks. Seconds later she heard a single, heavy splash of ocean water...then silence. 


	6. Scene Six

Having become very numb, Shalimar's actions became robotic. She did land the Helix on shore, but only because she was about to explode with emotion. She couldn't believe she'd just allowed it to happen.  
  
Somehow making it to the water's edge, Shalimar stared out at the distant rig.  
  
She'd been so angry with Tony, only a short time ago and now she felt horrible for acting the way she had. Despite his poor actions towards her before, he'd been a good human being; he'd risked and given his life for her...  
  
Shalimar? Adam's voice seemed to echo in her ears. Are you two all right?  
  
Shalimar did not reply.  
  
Shalimar?  
  
It took her a moment to figure out Adam was really speaking to her.  
  
"I'm fine Adam...but...Tony---"  
  
Without warning Tony burst out of the water, not two feet in front of her, very much alive and grinning madly.  
  
"Is going to be a dead man when I'm done with him!" Shalimar cried instead.  
  
Tony recoiled. "Does this mean you're back to hating me?"  
  
# # # # #  
  
"I can stay underwater for at least twenty minutes at a time," Tony explained to Mutant X. "I swam as deep as I could and let them believe they'd killed me."  
  
"You couldn't have let me know what you were up to?" Shalimar complained.  
  
"I thought I had when I told you to meet me at shore!" Tony replied honestly.  
  
"You could have been a little more explicit."  
  
"The point is," Ally interjected. "you got away with the tape. Let's take a look at what's on it."  
  
Adam transferred the camera's memory to the computer and when he played the footage back; Ox and friends were clearly visible, dumping barrels of toxic waste off the rig. The barrels were different from those storing oil. They were painted a sickly yellow with a ring of green.  
  
"Captivating stuff." Brennan drawled.  
  
"I'd give it two thumbs up." Jesse quipped.  
  
"Only, the barrels have no insignia on them, no genuine connection to Xenos." Adam countered. "We need to prove that waste is from his refinery and that's he's just as guilty as those five men."  
  
"Isn't the fact that he's paying those guys all that money enough?" Ally queried.  
  
Adam answered in the negative. "He'd claim he had no knowledge of it being disposed of illegally. My guess is the money should have been used to pay for proper disposal. What's to stop him from saying he's not at fault if they decided to pocket the cash and run? We need to make it clear he was involved in all of it."  
  
"How do we do that?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"After what happened today, I expect your friends are going to want to have a talk with Mr. Xenos."  
  
Brennan scoffed. "Adam, please, it's David!"  
  
Ignoring Brennan, Jesse asked. "But how are we supposed to know the when and where?"  
  
Ally smiled devilishly. "Hey Brennan, did you manage to accomplish that second mission?"  
  
Shalimar frowned at Brennan, as did most of the others. "Second mission?"  
  
Brennan mimicked Ally's smile. "I planted a bug in David's office. Now we'll be privy to his every conversation, in person or over the phone."  
  
"Very good Brennan." Adam praised, genuinely impressed. "Now all we have to do is wait."  
  
# # # # #  
  
They didn't have to wait long. It wasn't more than an hour later that David Xenos received an urgent phone call.  
  
Mr. Xenos, there's a matter we need to discuss with you. It was Ox on the phone. He didn't sound as dumb as he looked.  
  
Well make it quick, I'm a busy man.  
  
I'm afraid it's of a rather delicate nature. It's best we don't speak over the phone.  
  
Oh, very well, meet me at the refinery, in the warehouse. Eleven PM.  
  
Without another word, Xenos disconnected.  
  
"He's making this too easy for us!" Brennan declared.  
  
"That's what you think." Jesse retorted. "With this security, the place is a fortress!" Jesse had displayed what he'd taken from Xenos' office building, on the view screen. Ever since he'd started to receive threats, Xenos had beefed up his security at the refinery. "We'd barely get past the fences before tripping an alarm. And there's nowhere inside the boundaries big enough to land the Helix."  
  
Jesse had given up it seemed, but Shalimar decided to look for herself. Comparing the blueprints to the security specs, she spotted something Jesse had missed.  
  
"If Xenos gets any warning, he's gone and we don't get our evidence. " Ally was saying.  
  
"I could convince them to let me in." Emma offered.  
  
"We can't risk Xenos recognizing you." Brennan told her, knowing it was the same for himself.  
  
"I see our way in." Shalimar finally announced, certain it could work.  
  
Everyone gathered closer to have a look, and Shalimar touched the screen, enlarging a section of the prints showing pipelines.  
  
"Here. This pipe collects ocean water to use as a coolant. It's just stored in open tanks until they're ready to use it elsewhere. There's no alarms to trigger and minimal staff around."  
  
Jesse had a closer look. "It's barely big enough for a person...and we'd have to bypass the filters. Not to mention that's got to be at least two and a half miles of pipeline between the opening and the tanks."  
  
"So where's the problem?" Tony asked with a smile.  
  
He looked at everyone, his eyes resting last on Shalimar.  
  
For once, she smiled back at him. 


	7. Scene Seven

A mile from the refinery, Tony and the members of Mutant X walked to the ocean's edge.  
  
"You ready for this?" Shalimar prompted.  
  
Tony seemed casual. "No sweat." He started to wade into the cold water.  
  
Jesse called to him. "Just remember, once you've found a security station you've got to shut down the alarms on the south perimeter, and keep them down for at least---"  
  
"Ten minutes, yeah I know!" Tony waved them off and got shoulder deep before Emma added,  
  
"We'll meet up with you as soon as we can."  
  
Without a word, Tony dove under the water and disappeared.  
  
Mutant X started the long trek to their entry point.  
  
# # # # #  
  
They hid in the darkness outside the electrified fences.  
  
"He's late." Jesse muttered.  
  
"What's taking so long?" Brennan wondered intolerantly.  
  
Emma smirked. "You boys have no patience...but I could give you some!"  
  
"Jesse you went over everything with him at least three times, he knows what to do. He might have run into trouble with something other than the security system..." Ally was getting worried.  
  
Jesse spoke. "Well maybe we should---"  
  
"Wait." Shalimar interrupted and her eyes glowed yellow.  
  
Ally became still and after a few seconds she sensed what Shalimar had...though in a different manner. "The temperature's dropped."  
  
Brennan frowned. "Well it IS night."  
  
Ally gave him a mildly flagrant look. "I thought YOU of all people would sense it."  
  
"The fences are powered down," Shalimar clarified for everyone. "I can't smell ozone anymore."  
  
Brennan grabbed a stick as they came out of hiding and tossed it at the fence. Sure enough, Shalimar and Ally were right. The fences were no longer electrified. At least not on the south side.  
  
Jesse phased them through it and they made their way towards the warehouse.  
  
Once inside they divided up. Shalimar and Ally were one team and Jesse, Brennan and Emma were the other.  
  
"Jess, how much time?" Shalimar asked.  
  
He checked his watch. "Six minutes."  
  
"You guys get what you came for, Ally and I will find Tony."  
  
# # # # #  
  
They found him (still wet) in the security station nearest the coolant tanks. Three unconscious people lay scattered around the room. Ally regarded them with raised eyebrows as Shalimar walked over to the other feral scanning the monitors.  
  
She leaned in to have a look over his shoulder. "Any sign of Xenos yet?"  
  
"No," Tony replied, keeping his eyes to the monitors. "But it's not eleven o'clock yet. Your friends should be out of sight before David or his 'partners' arrive."  
  
"Brennan, how're you three doing?" Ally called into her commlink.  
  
We're back outside with the package. We'll let you know when we've cleared the fence. Came Brennan's reply.  
  
"Stay alert." Ally pleaded and broke the connection.  
  
"We've got company." Tony nodded to the top left monitor.  
  
Ally walked over to have a closer look. It was Ox and Scarface. Ally thought it good fortune that it only seemed to be the two of them.  
  
"And look who's right behind them." Shalimar nodded to the next monitor down. A limousine was pulling up to the front gate.  
  
Shalimar straightened up. "I'd better get back down there. Wouldn't want to miss the show."  
  
"We'll follow you in a minute." Ally promised.  
  
Shalimar made her exit and headed back down to the warehouse.  
  
Looking around, she figured her best view would be from above, so she climbed up into the rafters and poised herself in the shadows, crouching comfortably like any jungle cat waiting for prey.  
  
Tony and Ally continued to watch Xenos and the thugs.  
  
Ally we've cleared the fence, we're on our way back to the Helix. Tony's okay to reset the systems he shut down.  
  
"I hear you Brennan, we'll be walking out the front door soon enough." Ally replied.  
  
Watch your back.  
  
"Tony, get that south side system back up and let's finish this."  
  
Tony grinned. "With pleasure."  
  
# # # # #  
  
The meeting had already begun when Tony and Ally slipped in. Shalimar kept one eye on them while still using her commlink ring to take pictures of Xenos with Ox and Scarface.  
  
From where Ally and Tony hid, Ally took photos too, these ones showing the barrels that contained the waste in plain view of the criminal trio.  
  
"So what you're telling me," Xenos was saying. "Is that not only do you not have that tape, but you don't even know if the woman that got away HAD the tape. I suppose you're now going to tell me that you didn't even see the body of the man you shot!"  
  
Scarface faltered. "Uh..."  
  
Xenos started to laugh...then he lashed out, grabbing Scarface by the throat. "Your incompetence could be the end of me!" He snarled. "I should have you ALL killed. But that would only draw more attention." He reluctantly released Scarface. "For starters, you're going to find a new dump sight for all of this."  
  
He waved idly at the waste barrels and Tony bristled.  
  
"Then you're going to track down the little bitch and her girlfriend who are trying to ruin me!"  
  
It was both Shalimar and Ally's turn to bristle. In fact, along with her nerves, Ally's anger over the words she was hearing was effecting her more than she realized. She started to emanate waves of heat, and that distracted poor Tony. He started to swoon like he was going to pass out and lost his balance. His arm struck against the metal of the surrounding barrels and it made a horrible, echoing clang.  
  
Xenos, Ox and Scarface all became alarmed and withdrew guns.  
  
"Someone's been listening." Ox grunted.  
  
"Where did it come from?" Xenos demanded.  
  
"Over there." Scarface pointed right in Ally and Tony's direction.  
  
"Quick!" Ally wheezed. "Hide us!"  
  
Tony held Ally close and disguised them both seconds before the nasty threesome appeared from around the corner.  
  
Xenos blinked. "Hmm. Must have been rats..." He was getting uncomfortable and just wanted to get out before someone really did show up.  
  
But Ox wasn't so convinced. Something had been going on since the first run-in with the freaks. People kept vanishing into thin air...  
  
"Yeah..." He muttered. "Rats..."  
  
He lifted the barrel of his gun and aimed it right at Tony's chest.  
  
Not left with any other choice, Shalimar leapt down from the rafters and swatted Ox's gun away for the second time.  
  
"So I take it you three are the brains of this operation?" She bit-off.  
  
Ally spun out from behind the ferals and rushed Xenos. Drawing together all the heat she could, Ally forced a gush of hot air right down Xenos' throat, at the same moment he was inhaling to shout out. Choking on the lungfull of hot air instead, Xenos dropped like a stone.  
  
"Round three Scarface!" Tony shouted, as he came out of hiding and swung a sharp right hook into Scarface's nose.  
  
"I'm going to enjoy taking you apart, freak!" Ox roared at Shalimar.  
  
Her eye's glowed. "Funny," She murmured through clenched teeth. "I was just thinking the same thing."  
  
He kicked her in the face then punched her arm. She did him one better and belted him in the face, then the stomach, grabbing his head and whirling around laying him out with a sharp sidekick to the head. As he leaped to his feet she picked him up over her shoulder and flung him back down to the floor. He sprang back up but she blocked his blow and got in a sharp undercut to his chin, whipping back his head. Then a left, then a right and he was down again. Enraged, he flung himself at her, but Shalimar was ready and the kicks and punches came fast and furious. She used him like a punching bag and then she dragged him forward, ramming his head through a wooden crate, then back up through the top. She threw him backwards and he landed on the floor, down and staying there.  
  
Shalimar looked over at Tony to see him pummeling Scarface.  
  
A frontkick, a roundhouse. Pushing him backward against a stack of crates, Tony heatbutted Scarface and finished him off with a wild flip, slamming him hard onto the floor.  
  
The ferals looked at each other, then checked on Ally. She was standing over Xenos, who hadn't moved.  
  
"You are such a cheater!" Tony chirped.  
  
Ally just shrugged.  
  
Shalimar seemed satisfied at last. "I think we've got what we came for. Tony?" She looked at him meaningfully.  
  
"Yeah, I'm satisfied." He drawled. 


	8. Scene Eight

By morning, things had returned to a quiet peace around Sanctuary. At least for the most part. Tony and Shalimar were having a private word.  
  
"Tony, I'm sorry for how I treated you. You're actually a decent guy and you came through for us."  
  
"I'd like to apologize myself." Tony confessed. "I should have realized you didn't know me well enough to know I have such a lame sense of humor!"  
  
Shalimar laughed. "Yeah, you should really work on that!"  
  
Tony winced. "Youch."  
  
Ally and Brennan came breezing past them.  
  
"Guys come check out the news!" Ally beckoned excitedly.  
  
After exchanging glances, Shalimar and Tony jogged after the couple.  
  
They found that the others were sitting around, eyes fixed on the television screen.  
  
Cameras were filming David Xenos as well as Ox and the others being manhandled into the backs of police cars.  
  
Then they changed cameras and an anchorwoman's face filled the screen.  
  
†Businessman and oil tycoon, David Xenos was arrested this morning--,†  
  
The camera changed again and a pick-up truck with a familiar barrel and a box of other items in the truck-bed were displayed. Police were all around. The anchorwoman's voice continued,  
  
†after authorities received a literal truckload of evidence, citing him for illegal dumping of toxic materials. Among the evidence was one of hundreds of barrels containing waste, blood samples of animal life that showed traces of the toxins, photographs and even film footage of Xenos' accomplices actually dumping the waste off of one of Xenos' own oil rigs. With such overwhelming incriminating evidence, Xenos can expect lengthy prison time---†  
  
Adam turned it off right there, turning to smile at his team.  
  
"A job well done! Especially you, Tony. Your talents proved paramount."  
  
"Adam please, I was only doing what I needed to get my home back. Now that I have I can return to it."  
  
Everyone else exchanged significant looks.  
  
"Well if that's really where you want to be we won't stop you." Ally said. "But..."  
  
Tony frowned. "What?"  
  
"Well..." Shalimar spoke up. "As it so happens, it turns out that there's room for more than one feral in Mutant X nowadays."  
  
Emma took over. "If being left alone is what you want, we respect that."  
  
"You shouldn't take joining us lightly. It's a big change. We all lead dangerous lives here." Adam added.  
  
"But you'd definitely be a good addition to the team." Jesse admitted.  
  
"Yeah, and you've got to ask yourself, what'll happen to you on that beach if Xenos gets out?"  
  
Ally smacked Brennan in the chest.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Everyone scowled at Brennan but Tony only chuckled.  
  
"Are you guys serious about this?" He asked. "I mean, about my sticking around?"  
  
"The question is, can YOU be?" Shalimar retorted, holding out a Mutant X ring for him.  
  
The widest of grins spread across Tony's face.  
  
[END LOG TWO] 


	9. Final Notes

Well that's it for part two of my New Blood series! I have at least two more stories on the way, maybe more if I get inspired. I'm sorry to see that I haven't recieved many comments outside of my circle of friends, and even half of them couldn't be bothered to actually leave one on the website!  
  
Though I've managed to load it I've realized I've forgotten to post the address for my character art website here!  
  
So here it is at last: w w w. g e o c i t i e s . c o m / b l a z n s l a y e r ((under score)) 1 6 /  
  
Hope I get some visitors!  
  
Story three might take longer than "The Chameleon Brief" I'm sad to say but I want to make it good!  
  
And I want to say to all you Mutant X fans out there, if you read my work I will certainly be glad to read yours! Please leave me an addy and I'll check them out and let you know what I think! I know there has to be a lot of interesting stories out there! 


End file.
